Training available for professionals assisting with farm transitions

Next month, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will offer two workshops that will train agricultural advisers on helping families navigate a farm transfer. Both sessions are free and open to any professionals in education, government, or any related field that works with farm transitions. 

An advanced session will be held November 2 at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, with both in-person and virtual options available, and an in-person introductory session will take place November 10 in Mankato.

University of Extension Agricultural Business Management Educator Megan Roberts and St. Cloud Community and Technical College Farm Business Management Instructor Jim Molenaar have designed and will lead both workshops.

The introductory session will discuss concepts in farm transition, basic strategies for succession, goal setting, communication, family stressors, and estate planning, including retirement and healthcare. 

The advanced session will address options and strategies for transferring the farm, challenges posed by large farm dissolutions, tools to assist in farm transitions, key factors in selecting and working with accountants and attorneys, new resources from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and others, farm family communication strategies, and personal and family stressors during farm successions. Case studies on entity formation, non-farm owners, sales, and sweat equity valuation will be presented. 

Learn more and register for the workshops:

• November 2: Advanced session
• November 10: Introductory session 

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is able to offer this program at no cost thanks to Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Program award no. 2021-70035-35461 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The sessions are provided in coordination with the Southern Center of Agricultural Excellence and University of Minnesota Extension.